2018 Goal = FULL IRONMAN

Sometimes it’s good to take a chance and register for a race you don’t know if you’ll be able to finish even though it makes you feel nervous, intimidated, and full of self-doubt. I felt that way with my first half marathon, and then again with my first Half Ironman, and now again as I face down my next challenge… the FULL IRONMAN.

I think we tackle challenges like this because the reward is even greater when you cross the finish line, so on June 10, 2018, I will attempt to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and then run 26.2 miles through Boulder, Colorado all before the clock strikes midnight and the calendar flips over to June 11th. Can I do it? I honestly don’t know. There are so many variables with training, nutrition, conditions of the day, issues with my leg, and any other number of things I can’t predict, and the unknown is extremely intimidating.

In transition at the Boulder Peak Triathlon in Boulder – July, 2017 (leg issues are one of the issues that are hard to predict, and sometimes my leg gets stuck in my prosthesis after the bike)

Completing a Full Ironman is a huge accomplishment for anyone. As far as I’m aware, if when I complete this, I will be among less than 10 female amputees to complete a Full Ironman distance triathlon, which makes this even more intimidating. That said, I intend to control what I can control, remain consistent with my training, listen to my awesome coach (Mark Sortino), work through leg issues early in the process, and tackle this extremely scary goal I’ve set for myself in 2018 because that’s what I can do to give myself the best chance at success.

What are your goals for 2018? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!